CONTENTS--------Electric Scotland NewsScottish EventsThe Flag in the WindBook of Scottish StoryOor Mither TonguePoems of William Dixon CockerAuld Biggins of StirlingOld Pictures of ScotlandScottish Notes and QueriesThe Kingdom of FifeThe Complete ScotlandFurth in FieldArt in ScotlandBiography of Lord Strathcona and Mount RoyalPoems in the Dorric LanguageGlasgowRoamin' in the Gloamin'Robert Burns Lives!Pen Pictures of Early Pioneer Life in Upper
CanadaIn the Hebrides
(New Book)Gairloch in
North-West Ross-Shire (New Book)Social Life among the Easter Ross FishermenSheep Farmers and Drovers (Complete Book)Eight Days in IslayBeth's Newfangled Family Tree

Electric
Scotland News
----------------------We've made progress on our new Aois community
and now have the new version of the software configured. Our next
task is to install and configure the portal software over the top.
The last step is to install the various add-ons that we feel will
add value to our community and this includes our Arcade and a New
Member service.

Steve will shortly be inviting a few beta
testers in to try it out.

I might add that what we
have up already is an improvement on what we have now and so now we
work on all the new services that hopefully will blow your socks off
:-)

Mind if any of you have a particular expertise
and would like to share that with us in a new forum do let us know.

I'm
getting more emails in promising some help on this so encouraging
news.

-----

Anyone interested in doing a
regular column or know of someone who might? We've had many
compimentary emails on Frank Shaw's Robert Burns Lives! series and
so we thought we might seek out others that could do a weekly or
even monthly column on something to do with Scotland.

So if
this is of interest please get in touch or mention it to someone who
might be interested.

I am in fact emailing various folk and
organisations seeing if I can find anyone to contribute regular
articles.

Mind you when it comes to regular contributors
we do get "The Working Life of Christina McKelvie MSP" which is
usually an interesting read each Then we get the "Flag in the Wind"
in weekly and "Beth's Newfangled Family Tree" each month.

ABOUT THE
STORIES
-----------------Some
of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do check
out the site for the full versions. You can always find the link in
our "What's New" section in our site menu and at
http://www.electricscotland.com/rss/whatsnew.php

With a touch of Old Scotland, you, your family and friends, can
gather to celebrate your Celtic roots, enjoying three days of
Traditional Scottish entertainment with Pipers and Drummers all in
the picturesque setting of Elgin Park. And that’s not all. We’ve got
a little something for everyone...

We’ll have music, dance, and
other entertainment of all kinds - for all ages! What to see first?

THE FLAG IN THE WIND--------------------This weeks issue is compiled by Jim Lynch which
always contains a good mix of articles. Jim always provides the
Gaelic column with an English translation which in itself is a good
read. You can read more about this at
http://www.scotsindependent.org

The Working Life of
Christina McKelvie MSP diary entry for this week can be viewed at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/index.htm

I might
add that Christina is getting quite chatty these past few week and
this week she's even giving us a couple of poems no less!

Book of
Scottish Story
----------------------Thanks to John Henderson for sending this book
into us.

This week he's sent in Part 1 of "The Twin
Sisters" which starts...

Emma and Emily Graham were
twin daughters of a respectable farmer and cattle-dealer in
Perthshire.The girls bore such a striking resemblance to each other,
that their mother found it necessary to clothe them in different
colours, as the only method by which they could be distinguished. As
they grew up, their similarity became, if possible, more perfect;
the colour of their eyes and hair had no shade of difference; and,
indeed, every feature of their faces, their form and stature, were
so exactly alike, that the same distinction of different dresses
continued necessary. They had a brother, Edward, about fifteen
months younger, who bore as great a likeness to both as they did to
each other. When the girls arrived at nine or ten years of age, they
gave promise of being rather above the ordinary stature of their
sex, with a very considerable share of personal beauty. But it was
only in externals that the resemblance was complete; for, although
both had excellent dispositions, with a large share of good nature,
their minds were in most respects dissimilar.

Emma was sedate and modest,
even to bashfulness ; while Emily was so free and lively, that many
thought her forward, and her lightheartedness akin to levity.
Edward’s mind resembled that of his younger sister as closely as his
personal appearance. She was all mirth and frolic, and, by changing
clothes with her sister, amused, perplexed, and sometimes fretted
her parents; in all which Edward delighted to bear a part. At school
there was an ample field for these sportive tricks; and the teacher
himself was often sadly teased by their playful metamorphoses.

W. D. Cocker was a Scottish
poet who wrote in both Scots and English. In the First World War,
Cocker served with the Highland Light infantry, and was taken
prisoner in 1917. His war poetry is interesting and includes the
poems "Up the Line to Poelkapelle", "The Sniper" and a five-part
sonnet cycle entitled "Sonnets in Captivity". However, he is best
known for his humorous poems in Scots.

Auld Biggins of Stirling------------------------The contents page of this book are done
alphabetically so we're adding new chapters in the order they appear
in the book and not as they appear in the contents. Loads of
illustrations which do add to the enjoyment of this book.

The Complete Scotland---------------------A comprehensive survey, based on the principle
motor, walking, railway and steamer routes. Historical section by
J.D. Mackie, M.C., M.A. Professor of Scottish History and Literature
and the University of Glasgow and geology and scenery by T.M.
Finlay, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., University of Edinburgh.

Added this week...

The River and Firth of ClydeGlasgow to Ayr by the Coast: Paisley—Dumbarton—
Greenock— Gourock — Wemyss Bay—Largs—The Cumbrae — Ardrossan —
Saltcoats — Kilmarnock — Troon—Prestwick—Ayr and the Burns CountryRothesay and ButeArran

In this narrative, we have often referred to
the large-hearted, almost princely, hospitality of Lord Strathcona.
His wealth was for him a source of pleasure because he was able to
gratify this spirit of entertainment. And he did it on a lavish
scale. He had homes in London, Glencoe and Colonsay (in Scotland),
Hertfordshire, Essex (in England), Nova Scotia, Winnipeg and
Montreal (in Canada). It was his delight to welcome visitors to
these homes and many a time the most exalted persons were domiciled
beneath his roof.

There was one great function which took place
every year in London. This was the "Lord Strathcona Reception" which
was given in honor of all Canadians who chanced to be in London at
the time. It was the privilege of the writer to attend the last of
these, which was held on the evening of July 2nd, 1913. It was held
in Queen's Hall and was certainly an occasion to make a Canadian
feel a thrill of pride. It is estimated that twenty-three hundred
guests assembled in the large theatre, among whom were the
representatives of royalty, in the persons of the Duke of Connaught
and Princess Patricia, the nobility, in the persons of the Earl of
Aberdeen and Earl Grey, and men and women eminent in every walk of
life—statesmen, soldiers, writers and others famous in their
professional callings.

I set sail from Liverpool on the old Lucciania
in the middle of October 1907. Nance did not feel any too good in
health at that time and cried off the trip. Tom, my inseparable
henchman and companion, was ill with rheumatic fever in London and
could not accompany me. So I took my son John, then a boy of sixteen
and due to go up to Cambridge in a month or two. He had been over
the water to Canada with his mother a year before; he was by way of
being an old sailor and knew the ropes.

Poor John! I can scarcely
bear to think about that trip with him and the fine times we had
together on board. He was very young but he was very wise and among
his other accomplishments he could play the piano beautifully and
sing a good sentimental song. What a favourite he was with the
passengers! Little did he or I dream then of a world war which was
to bring desolation and unending sorrow into our home and into
millions of others. How glad I am now that I took him with me on
that first American trip! It was the longest time we had ever been
together; we only got to know each other properly during that two
months' holiday. Remembering always my first trip across the
Atlantic with my dear boy John I never miss a chance of telling
parents who are blessed with boys and girls to spend all the time
they can with them when the bairns are young because if they don't
do so then, they will be missing one of the purest joys of life in
what Burns describes as "this melancholy vale."

The Luath Kilmarnock Edition
of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect

I'm holding in my hand
Volume 4 of the 612 copies of the Subscriber Edition of Poems,
Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect by Robert Burns, published by the
Luath Press, which sells for £40. I must also tell you that there is
another edition of the same book entitled The Luath Kilmarnock
Edition which sells for £15. Both were published in 2009 to
celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Burns. All 612
copies of the Subscriber Edition are signed and numbered. With
apologies to an old Coca-Cola commercial, both editions are
wonderful copies of “the real thing” which was first printed in
1786. New material by three key people identified with this book,
John Cairney, Bob Dewar, and Clark McGinn, make it a fascinating
read. Each is an expert in his own right.

THE dreamy summer in the
Western Isles which furnished the notes for the following pages, was
immediately succeeded by a prolonged spell of most delightful
wanderings in the Himalayas.

On this,—my first journey to
the Far East,—my attention was forcibly arrested by many very
striking analogies between many of the customs and legends of
Western Islanders, and those of Eastern Highlanders.

These, again, suggested such
a multitude of unaccountable links between various semi-obsolete
customs in Christian lands of the West (which are undoubtedly
survivals of ancient pagan practice), and those which form part of
the daily religious life in Eastern lands,—that my volumes attained
dimensions somewhat forbidding to general readers.

I have therefore deemed it
expedient to select such notes of my summer in the Hebrides, as
appear to me to possess most general interest, omitting all dryer
matter.

These notes I now offer to all my
kindred-wanderers on our own romantic Western shores and Isles,
trusting that they may therein find some suggestions which may add
interest to their own summer rambles.

Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire---------------------------------It's Records, Traditions, Inhabitants and
Natural History with a Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree and a Map
and Illustrations" by John H. Dixon FSA Scot. published in 1886.

Another new book we've
started on and here is the Preface for you to read...

THE preparation of the
following account of Gairloch has been prompted by regard—almost
affection—for this beautiful and interesting Highland parish. It is
published in the hope that it may not only assist the tourist, but
also be found to constitute a volume worthy of a nook in the great
library of local history. Here and there some few general remarks on
the subjects dealt with have necessarily been introduced by way of
explanation or illustration, but in the main this book relates
solely to Gairloch. I have tried to make short chapters, and to
dispense with footnotes.

Without much assistance the
work could not have been satisfactorily completed. The necessary
help has been given with the greatest freedom and kindness. Sir
Kenneth S. Mackenzie, Bart. of Gairloch, has himself furnished much
valuable and accurate information, and Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch
has kindly assisted. From Mr Osgood H. Mackenzie of Inverewe,
youngest son of the late Sir Francis Mackenzie, Bart. of Gairloch, I
have received a large amount of personal aid. Much of the
information about the Mackenzies has been culled from the works of
Mr Alexander Mackenzie (a native of Gairloch) with his consent. He
is the able author of a copious history of the Mackenzies and other
important books, and the editor of the Celtic Magazine, from which
last the memoir of John Mackenzie of the "Beauties" and several of
the traditions have been mainly taken. From the MS. "Odd and End
Stories" of Dr Mackenzie, Eileanach, only surviving son of Sir
Hector Mackenzie, Bart., eleventh laird of Gairloch, numerous
quotations will be found.

These extracts are published
with the consent of Dr Mackenzie, as well as of Mr O. H. Mackenzie
to whom he has given his MS. volumes. With one exception, wherever
Dr Mackenzie is quoted the extract is taken from his "Odd and End
Stories." The Dowager Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch has been so good as
to prepare a short statement, from which extracts are made. Dr
Arthur Mitchell, C.B., Senior Commissioner in Lunacy for Scotland,
has permitted the use of his paper on the Isle Maree superstitions.
Mr Jolly has contributed three valuable chapters, and the Rev. J.
M'Murtrie and Professor W. Ivison Macadam have each given a chapter.
To Mr William Mackay of Craigmonie, Inverness, I am indebted for
full notes on ecclesiastical matters, and for extracts from the old
records of the Presbytery of Dingwall.

The Rev. Alexander Matheson,
minister of Glenshiel, has supplied extracts from the records of the
Presbytery of Loch-carron. I have to thank Messrs Maclachlan &
Stewart, of Edinburgh, who in 1882 brought out a sumptuous edition
of the "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry," by the late John Mackenzie, a
Gairloch man, for permission to use the accounts of John Mackay (the
blind piper), William Ross, William Mackenzie, and Malcolm Maclean,
contained in the "Beauties." James Mackenzie, of Kirkton (brother of
John Mackenzie of the "Beauties"), has furnished a large chapter of
Gairloch stories, besides a number of facts, traditions, and
anecdotes; wherever the name of James Mackenzie occurs in these
pages, it is this worthy Highlander who is referred to.

Other
Gairloch traditions, stories, and information have been furnished by
Kenneth Fraser, Leac nan Saighead (through the medium of the Celtic
Magazine); Alexander Maclennan, Mossbank; Roderick Mackenzie (Ruaridh
an Torra), Lonmor; George and Kenneth Maclennan, Tollie Croft; John
Maclean (Iain Buidhe Taillear), Strath; Simon Chisholm, Flowerdale;
Roderick Campbell, Tollie; Donald Ross, Kenlochewe; Alexander
Mackenzie (Ali' Iain Ghlass), piper, Pool-ewe ; George Maclennan,
Londubh; and Alexander Maclennan (Alie Uistean), Inveran, who
especially has given me considerable assistance. The legend of Ewan
Mac Gabhar is mainly in the form given in the works of James Hogg,
the Ettrick Shepherd, supported to some extent by several of the old
people now living in Gairloch. That enthusiastic friend of the
Highlander, Professor Blackie, has kindly contributed two English
versions of Gaelic songs; and Mr William Clements Good, of Aberdeen,
has given similar aid.

Professor W. Ivison Macadam has communicated
the results of his analyses of ores and slags, and has assisted in
examining the remains of the old ironworks. Mr D. William Kemp, of
Trinity, Edinburgh, has generously done a very great deal to unravel
the history of the ironworks, and in other ways. Lieutenant Lamont,
of Achtercairn, has procured the traditions given on the authority
of Ruaridh an Torra, Mr Mackintosh, postmaster, Poolewe, has
supplied some anecdotes and facts. The Glossary has been prepared
with the aid of Mr O. H. Mackenzie; the Rev. Ronald Dingwall, Free
Church minister, Aultbea; Mr Alexander Cameron, the Tournaig bard ;
and Mr Alexander Maclennan, Inveran. The names of some others who
have rendered valuable help are stated where their information is
utilised. To all these ungrudging helpers, and to many others not
mentioned by name, I beg to offer my sincere thanks.

To render the natural
history of Gairloch complete, lists are still needed of the insects,
sea-anemones, grasses, mosses, lichens, fungi, sea-weeds, and
fresh-water weeds. Any information on these and other branches of
natural history will be heartily welcomed, with a view to insertion
in a possible future edition.

The process of zincography,
by which nearly all the illustrations have been reproduced, has not
in many cases realised my expectations, but it has been thought best
to issue the book at once rather than wait until the illustrations
could be rendered in a superior manner.

The profits, if any, from
the sale of this book will be applied in aid of the Poolewe Public
Hall.

Social Life among the Easter Ross Fishermen-------------------------------------------I extracted this story from an old copy of the
Highland Magazine which I hope you'll enjoy reading.

The story starts...

IF the reader will glance at
any good map of the north shore of the Moray Firth, among the places
named he will find Hilton, Balintore, and Shandwick. These are
villages composed exclusively of fishing families, who are entirely
dependent on the sea for their living. To the antiquarian, the first
and last named villages will, at least, be known by reputation.
Tradition has it that they mark the burial place of two of the sons
of the Kings of Denmark, who were wrecked on this coast. In the case
of the Hilton stone, perhaps I ought to mention that it was removed
by the late R. B. AL. Macleod of Cadboll to his residence—Invergordon
Castle—a good many years ago, and that the little house—the "
chapel," as it was locally known—is razed to the ground. The stone,
however, is in a perfect state of preservation, and appears to be
well taken care of; but I think it only right to put the fact of its
being removed from its original site on record, as in recent
references to it by archaeological writers, it is assumed to be
still at Hilton. Although these villages are about a mile apart from
one another, yet, in most respects, they may be regarded as one.
There are, however, some things upon which they do not think alike.

The fishermen of the three
villages as a class are sober, honest, and God-fearing, but
exceedingly poor. Poverty has always been, to a greater or less
degree, present with them; in fact, it is part of their very
existence. Of course, it fluctuates in degree, according to the
success which attends the herring fishing. It is upon the herring
that they depend for the sinews of war to pay for their boats and
fishing gear, and the many other items of extraordinary expenditure
connected with the economy of the household.

Sheep Farmers and Drovers-------------------------I came across this wee book with some good
illustrations all about these folk chatting away in a cabin of a
boat taking them to Oban from Falkirk.

The first paragraph sets the
scene...

It is well known that the Highlands have
undergone a great change within the last thirty years; that the
human population has become less dense, the woolly population more
so; that the old proprietors have nearly all disappeared to make
room for new; that bogs have been drained, and moors reclaimed,
making the "bonny blooming heather" succumb to the "yellow corn."
Much, however, remains to be known of the ways of the people—how
they eat, and how they drink; how they speak, and how they act; how
they live, and how they die. The object of the following Sketches is
to show something of this, and to begin with a night with drovers
and sheep-farmers on the Mull of Cantyre.

Eight Days in Islay-------------------By the members of the Islay Association.

I thought
this was an excellent article and you might get a clue why in the
first paragraph...

In the month of November, 1867, a series of
three articles appeared in the Glasgow Herald, under the heading of
"Eight Days in Islay." To these articles, thus sanctioned, we feel
constrained to reply. We have no desire to hurt or offend the
anonymous writer who attacked us; we beg his forgiveness if we say
anything even in self-defence which may be disagreeable to him; but
we cannot allow that which he has published to pass without remark.
We too claim that right of free speech which the ancient Icelanders
exercised on the hill of laws, the right which every Briton now
claims, and will defend. Our race and our class are attacked,—we
claim the right to defend ourselves, and to combat our opponent as
best we can. ,We salute him, and if we slay him we will lament over
him if he fights well. We propose to reprint and comment on the
articles in question, to show the capacity of our judge—the spirit
by which he was animated—and the relation of his facts to his
conclusions, and to our3. The writer begins thus:—

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